It’s easy to assume that a stunning website will naturally drive sales. After all, a beautifully designed site should attract and engage users, right? But in the world of ecommerce, looks alone don’t guarantee conversions. A website can be visually impressive yet fail to guide customers toward making a purchase. There is a careful balance to be struck between aesthetics and commercial thinking and creative vs. commercial web design.
For ecommerce brands, the challenge is clear: a site that prioritises aesthetics over user experience risks missing opportunities. If design doesn’t meet customers where they are—offering clear navigation, seamless functionality, and a frictionless buying journey—then engagement and conversions will suffer. A disconnect between brand identity and commercial performance can mean the difference between admiration and action.
Design that converts, not just impresses
Many ecommerce businesses fall into the trap of focusing on how their website looks rather than how it works for their customers. Common issues include:
Cluttered or confusing navigation that makes it difficult for users to find what they need
Slow loading times that frustrate visitors and increase bounce rates
Mobile experiences that don’t match the needs of the majority of users
Product pages that lack the right information or fail to inspire confidence
A brand story that is visually stunning but doesn’t support the buying journey
To create a high-performing ecommerce website, brands must find a balance between creativity and commercial thinking. A great website isn’t just an online storefront - it’s a tool that must be designed around real customer behaviour.
The power of user-focused design
At Unified, we specialise in user-focused design that seamlessly blends aesthetics with commercial strategy. Our approach is built around understanding how customers interact with ecommerce sites and removing any friction that might prevent them from making a purchase.
Take our case study with Rab, for example. As a globally recognised outdoor brand, Rab needed a website that not only reflected its adventurous spirit but also delivered a seamless shopping experience. However, their previous site struggled with outdated navigation, inconsistent design elements, and a lack of clear product information.
We partnered with Rab to completely redesign their digital experience on Adobe Commerce (Magento) with a Hyvä frontend, ensuring faster load times and a smoother user journey. By focusing on performance optimisation, intuitive navigation, and clear product storytelling, we helped Rab:
Improve mobile usability, catering to the 70% of visitors accessing the site via mobile
Implement a clean, structured navigation system to make browsing effortless
Enhance product pages with interactive features, ensuring both technical and casual customers found the information they needed
Integrate a Storyblok CMS, empowering Rab’s team to manage content efficiently and keep the site dynamic
The result? A website that doesn’t just look great - it works. It converts. And it delivers a seamless experience that makes it easier for customers to engage and buy.
Unified client, Rab's new homepage, 2024.
Clever features, not just aesthetics
A great ecommerce experience isn’t just about choosing the right ecommerce platform for your business either, it’s about designing the right user experience. Case in point; our work Magento > Shopify migration project with House of Hackney proves that the success of an ecommerce store depends on smart, customer-focused features rather than just visual appeal.
As part of House of Hackney’s digital transformation, we developed a series of custom Shopify features that enhanced both their B2C and B2B ecommerce experience. Instead of relying on just good design on the Shopify platform, we built tailored functionality that added real value to the customer journey:
Product calculator Shopify app – A dynamic calculator was developed for items like wallpaper, paint, and curtains, helping customers accurately calculate quantities and reduce wastage. This isn’t a standard Shopify feature, but a custom-built app we created to improve the buying experience.
'Shop the look' feature – Customers can now shop directly from styled images, making it easier to purchase complementary products.
Sample ordering – The previous sample ordering process was clunky, so we developed a one-click ‘add sample’ feature to improve usability.
Shopify B2B enhancements – We introduced tailored product options like fireproofing for commercial clients, integrated Made-to-Order (MTO) functionality, and displayed lead times on product pages for better transparency.
This project demonstrates that platform choice is secondary to experience design. While Shopify is a powerful ecommerce platform, it’s the thoughtfulness behind the customer journey and the smart integration of features that truly drive results.
Let’s make your website work harder
A beautifully designed website is only valuable if it drives real business results. If your ecommerce store isn’t converting as well as it should, it might be time for a rethink.
We’re offering a no-obligation UX design audit to help brands like yours identify opportunities for improvement. Whether you need to streamline your navigation, enhance mobile performance, or create a more engaging shopping experience, we can help.
Book your free UX audit today and start turning visitors into customers.
